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All FPO Ministers Leave Austrian Government Amid Video Scandal - Reports

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Earlier on Monday, a poll showed that Austria's Freedom Party (FPO) went from potentially garnering 23 per cent of votes in a prospect snap election to 18 per... 20.05.2019, Sputnik International

2019-05-20T17:21+0000

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All FPO Ministers Leave Austrian Government Amid Video Scandal - Reports

17:21 GMT 20.05.2019 (Updated: 17:47 GMT 20.05.2019)

© REUTERS / Heinz-Peter BaderHead of Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) Heinz-Christian Strache presents an election campaign poster in Vienna, Austria, September 24, 2015. Regional elections take place in Vienna on October 11, 2015

Head of Austrian Freedom Party (FPOe) Heinz-Christian Strache presents an election campaign poster in Vienna, Austria, September 24, 2015. Regional elections take place in Vienna on October 11, 2015 - Sputnik International

Earlier on Monday, a poll showed that Austria's Freedom Party (FPO) went from potentially garnering 23 per cent of votes in a prospect snap election to 18 per cent amid the recent scandal involving the party's leader Heinz-Christian Strache, who has since resigned.

All Austrian Freedom Party's ministers have left the right-wing government, the local APA news agency reported on Monday.

Earlier in the day, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz suggested sacking right-wing Interior Minister Herbert Kickl amid the video scandal involving Austria's Freedom Party (FPO) leader and Vice Chancellor Heinz-Christian Strache, according to Reuters.

The Freedom Party, in turn, stated that it would pull its ministers out of the government if Kickl was forced out.

European Union flags in front of the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. (File) - Sputnik International

EC Follows 'in Disbelief' Scandal With Austria's FPO Leader - Spokesman

20 May 2019, 10:59 GMT

On Friday, some major German media outlets reported, citing a video recording taken during a July 2017 meeting in Ibiza, Spain, that a woman offered Strache to give the FPO money and help the party with press support, while Strache reportedly offered the woman government construction contracts in return. The Austrian politician later said that the woman was a Russian-speaking Latvian citizen.

The scandal prompted Strache to resign from his post as the vice-chancellor and stand down as the leader of the FPO. Strache, who became vice-chancellor following the 2017 election, described the situation as a trap and political assassination.